The Science of Pilates Breathing: Why It Boosts Results

Pilates With Natalia
Sep 22
4 min read

When you think of Pilates, you probably picture controlled movements, strong cores, and precise technique. But one of the most powerful parts of Pilates often gets overlooked: breathing.

Breathing in Pilates isn’t just about oxygen. It’s about how you engage your muscles, control your movements, and connect your mind with your body, and it is super important in Pilates. Let’s break it down.

What is Pilates breathing?

Pilates uses lateral thoracic breathing, also called ribcage breathing or breathing sideways into the ribs. Instead of breathing into your belly, you focus on expanding your ribcage out to the sides and back of your body.

This keeps your core engaged while still allowing full, deep breaths. This also allows more air into the lungs and takes away unnecessary pressure from the diaphragm (your breathing muscle)!

Try it right now:

Place your hands on the sides of your ribcage.
Inhale through your nose and feel your ribs expand outwards.
Exhale through your mouth, drawing your ribs back in and engaging your deep core muscles.

Why this matters!

1. Better Core Activation: Breathing this way switches on your deep abdominal muscles, especially the transverse abdominis. This creates a natural corset effect that protects your spine.

2. Improved Movement Control: Coordinating breath with movement slows you down, keeping each rep precise. You move with intention, not momentum.

3. More Oxygen, Less Tension: Deep ribcage breathing floods your muscles with oxygen. That means less fatigue and less tightness in your neck and shoulders.

4. Stress Relief: The exhale helps activate your parasympathetic nervous system, the part that calms you down. Pilates breathing is as much about mental reset as physical strength.

How to practise Pilates breathing

Here’s a simple drill you can use daily:

Seated Ribcage Breathing

Sit tall with feet flat on the floor.
Place your hands around your ribcage.
Inhale through your nose, expanding ribs sideways and back.
Exhale slowly through pursed lips, drawing your core in.
Repeat for 6–8 breaths.

You can add this before a workout, at your desk, or before bed. Using a band or a scarf and wrapping this around your ribs is also helpful; it allows you to really see how your ribs expand as you inhale!

Bringing Thoracic Breathing into your workouts!

Breathing is one of the 8 main principles of Pilates. It is highly important and highly regarded; therefore, there is a lot of focus on your breath during Pilates sessions. Here’s a quick guide for pairing breath with movement:

Inhale to prepare or when opening/lengthening.
Exhale when you exert effort, like lifting or curling.

For example:

In a Hundred, you inhale for 5 counts and exhale for 5 counts.
In a curl-up, you inhale to prepare, exhale as you roll up, inhale at the top, and exhale to roll back down.

Exhale as you lift your head, neck and shoulder blades and activate your abs!

Why Pilates Works When Other Routines Don't!

Unlike workouts that rely on intensity, Pilates really allows you to focus on your breath. At the same time, you are strengthening your muscles and improving co-ordination, alignment, and stamina! And the best thing is that you can start Pilates today from home, for free!

Pilates at Home:

You don’t need a gym membership or fancy equipment. A mat and a small space are enough to get started. You can get inexpensive equipment, such as weights and a Pilates ball, later! There are countless resources online (including my YouTube channel) where you can find short, guided sessions. Movements can be adapted to your level. Whether you’ve never worked out or you’re getting back into it after a break, Pilates gives you a place to start.

The focus isn’t on “doing more”. It’s about finding movement you can repeat, even on your busiest days.

How to Get Started Without Overthinking It!

If you’re curious where to begin, I’ve put together 5 free Pilates eBooks that each tell a different story, from recovering after injury to training through menopause, managing stress, cycle syncing, and even approaching weight loss in a sustainable way.

👉 Download them here: Free Pilates eBooks

And if you’d rather jump straight into moving, you’ll find free Pilates workouts for beginners on my YouTube channel.

Both options are designed to help you make Pilates fit into your life, not the other way around.

💬 Download your free Pilates guide!

Start Today! Get your FREE eBook and Pilates class now; you won't regret it. https://www.nataliapilates.co.uk/free-pilates

The goal isn’t perfection. It’s progress you can feel in your posture, your energy, and your ability to keep up with life.

Pilates breathing is more than a detail; it’s the foundation of every move. When you master it, you’ll notice stronger core control, smoother movements, and a calmer mind.

So next time you’re on the mat, don’t just think about the exercise. Think about the breath guiding it.